OPENING STATEMENT BY LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION HON PHILP J. PIERRE AT THE SAINT LUCIA LABOUR PARTY PRESS CONFERENCE JUNE 19TH, 2018

For How Much Longer are We Prepared to Suffer the Disrespect of the UWP Government?

Good day ladies and gentlemen of the media.

On the 6th of June 2016, Mr Allen Chastanet was given the privilege as Prime Minister to represent and protect the interest of all Saint Lucians, those who voted for the UWP, those who voted for the Saint Lucia Labour Party and those who did not vote.

The United Workers Party promised the electorate a new Saint Lucia. Today, the reality of this new Saint Lucia must be quite disturbing to many citizens of this country.

Over the last two years we have witnessed a UWP government that has become more famous for what they have failed to undertake than the few meagre achievements which they attempt with the greatest effort to magnify. We have lived through 24 months witnessing the arbitrary stoppage of projects in various parts of the island, the results of these decisions have been the loss of hundreds of job opportunities and of millions of dollars of capital investments.

Added to the stoppage of infrastructural projects we have seen the callous dismissal of over one thousand NICE workers – sent home with no concern about the plight of their children and other dependents. The justification provided is that 90% were Labour Party supporters, considered not deserving of employment under a UWP Administration. While those people were condemned to destitution, government has directed millions of dollars to support the start-up cost and salaries of a foreign entity by the name of OJO Labs. To date there has been no official accounting to the tax payers of Saint Lucia of how that money was disbursed.

On the second anniversary upon assuming office, when the customary gesture by the Prime Minister should be an expression of gratitude to the citizens of this country for having given him the highest honour and privilege he shamelessly used the opportunity to hurl insults at St Lucians by referring to them as jackasses.

We are not sure what exactly he meant given there are two definitions. Did he mean that Saint Lucians are idiots which would fit the definition of stupidity or that we are no more than animals- male donkeys, the second definition of the word jackass? Whichever he meant it is highly offensive and disrespectful for the Prime Minister to refer to the people of this country in this way.

Who are the jackasses that Prime Minister Allen Chastanet refers to? Could it be the doctors agitating for an equitable healthcare system and expressing concern about unwarranted deaths at the George Odlum Stadium? Could it be the unemployed youth in search of a job or entrepreneurial opportunity? Could it be the professionals insulted by the government’s illusion of economic growth and development? Or could it be the farmer afraid of his land being taken away to give to Teo Ah Khing for $1.00 per acre? Maybe the consumer who does not feel the benefit of the VAT reduction? Possibly the owners of businesses that have closed in the Rodney Bay area and elsewhere in the country despite constant repetition that tourist arrivals are at an all-time high? Could it be the vehicle owner who was promised a reduction in his gas bill but instead has to find an additional tax of $1.50 for every gallon of gas purchased? Could it be Bishnu Tulsie or the National Trust or Mark Hennecart or John Peters for providing their professional opinion and advice on the St Jude Hospital Reconstruction project?

The Prime Minister’s mind-set is clear. If you are not a confirmed supporter, an avowed flambeau, you have no right to criticize the government or hold it accountable.

Over the last two years we have seen how the Prime Minister and members of his government have treated everyone who has spoken or raised concern about the decisions and actions of this administration. Obviously, he doesn’t listen to those persons because to him we are all jackasses.

Where is the new Saint Lucia promised by the UWP? Is it a Saint Lucia where we are disrespected by our Prime Minister? A Saint Lucia where we are being made to believe in the words of the Prime Minister that “our patrimony is our credit rating”?

This behaviour is very unbecoming of a Prime Minister and demonstrates a lack of awareness of his responsibility to encourage tolerance and respect among citizens especially when there is disagreement.

If you don’t listen, then how do you know what people are saying – what are their views? He has now confirmed the reason why he is dismissive of advice and opposing views. Not listening is a frightening attitude for a Prime Minister to adopt. Worse yet, to feel brazen enough to state it publicly.

As a Party we caution that the signals coming from Prime Minister Allen Chastanet are dangerous and must be taken seriously.

In 1979, the late Clendon Mason, another UWP Member of Parliament, on a public platform in the Boulevard, demanded of a non-supportive crowd, and I quote: “shut up and listen to your masters”. If we do not demand respect from our Prime Minister now, it is only a matter of time before he develops the brazenness to issue a similar command to those who are already jackasses in his sight.

The Labour Party will join hands with every individual and group in this country willing to demand that we receive respect from Prime Minister Chastanet and members of his government.

The Saint Lucia Labour Party condemns the behaviour of the Prime Minister and calls on him to retract and apologize to Saint Lucians for calling them jackasses and to exercise the respect and maturity that is befitting of a responsible and caring leader.

The Saint Lucia Labour Party pledges that it will encourage a spirit of tolerance dialogue and respect among Saint Lucians. We hold firm to the belief that our country will only progress if there in consensus among all its citizens’ particularly in matters that relate to the development of our country.

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It is very frustrating to see that time, and time and again, that the only thing that the SLP can do is make childish rabble-rousing noises about pure trivia. Pure trivia. Pure trivia mind you.

If those people in the SLP had any class, they would be raising the bar with uplifting debates about what to do with the mass of semi-literates they produced during their terms in office. Just a little hindsight is needed to recognize the bush-wacking gangs of unemployable and underemployed roadside grass-cutters.

That is the level of technology that the SLP is extremely comfortable working with. The level it can aspire to. The depravity of small-mind country bucks.

Right now we are paying for the SLP's foolishness of the transfer of wealth from those who work today, to pay for keeping its followers employed in do-nothing all day grass cutting nominal jobs.

Every economist worth his salt knows that you do not borrow just to pay down interest on debt, but to have a development growth component as part of the borrowing. You want to pay down national debt, but at the same time you grow the economy.

The SLP's foolish economics kept the economy bouncing near zero growth level for years. In other years, they cooked the numbers.

Packed with foolish talkers, the SLP dummies never could even talk about development economics, only about BTS or in other words, borrow, tax and spend. Shorter still: BS.

Even in opposition, and true to form, these shysters are back at it again.

One has to be very, very careful about the words that come out of there mouths in this country. A mix of ignorance and fragile egos can result in all kinds of violence. 'Figures of speech' much like 'sarcasm' is lost on most St.Lucians.

This has been a common language since one of saint Lucia's top show host used it, and no one said nothing. So he meant that we those a jackass to govern us. Don't worry, a jackass will never apologize, because he is the real jackass! We are not!

SLP should apologise to Saint Lucians for misrepresenting themselves as a sensible group, they remaining a jackass party putting jackass policy after jackass policy in place, for decades on end. Take for instance STEP..

Good that's what you get when you adopt a nom blanc as your master by allowing him entry into our politics. Allowing him entry into our internal personal and country affairs - big ass mistake. Maybe calling Lucians jackasses is well deserved because voting a nom blanc your leader is a jackass act in the first places.

Lucians watch CNN and should know many blacks are being shot needlessly killer by nom blanc police officers in America. Remember the political violence in Jamaica under the leadership of those two, Bob my hero was a victim. Nationals will tell you what treatment blacks get in foreign lands - second class citizenship!

And Lucians embraced en co-shoun blanc as their prime minister. Doesn't history tell you all anything? He is right to call Lucians jackasses because you all put his there, you now suffer the consequences - jackasses!!!!

Remember when that calypsonian sang about bringing more jackasses from Montserrat...he was referring to politicians like u pierre.further more it seems like you the one calling ppl jkass because they didn't vote for u guys.

SLP always stage those political games when in opposition...Can you provide video proof of those allegations...SLP is so obsessed with power and will stop at nothing to cause a ruckus with the ruling party

Pierre you know what jackass means and you all are the one truly behaving like jackasses. Any opportunity to oppose anything the government does is right up your alley. The people of St. Lucia are beginning to get tired of you all foolishness.

the people have already shown they are tired of the communist jackasses when the slp was swept out of office. the problem with the slp is that they still think their old ways work. they are just too damn stupid to figure out they were the problem. their daily bitch sessions continue to show they will never have any answers from them just complaints.